Dancers syncronize the Four Diamonds hand signal during the line dance Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center after THON 2014 kicked off.

Image: Michelle Bixby

THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, is a yearlong annual fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against pediatric cancer.

All funds raised through the efforts of more than 15,000 Penn State student volunteers benefit the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. The Four Diamonds Fund assists children being treated for cancer and their families through superior care, comprehensive support and innovative research that impacts and improves cancer treatments around the world.

In addition, Penn State students host Four Diamonds Families during THON Weekend, held Feb. 21-23 this year at the Bryce Jordan Center, the annual celebration that caps the yearlong fundraising effort. THON Weekend gives children and their families who are fighting and have survived pediatric cancer the opportunity to take their minds off their health challenges, have fun, connect with other Four Diamonds families and enjoy Penn State students' support.

THON supporters Troy Stephens, left, and Jeremy Jordan do the Harlem Shake on the floor during their THON visitation.

Image: Michelle Bixby

"THON...overcomes challenges, defies stereotypes, and redefines its possibilities for the benefit of the children and families of the Four Diamonds Fund."—THON executive committee

The THON 2014 theme, "Redefine the Possibilities," serves as a call to action, "a promise to each other and ourselves to create a better world," according to the THON 2014 executive committee's statement. "THON is, and always will be, an organization that overcomes challenges, defies stereotypes, and redefines its possibilities for the benefit of the children and families of the Four Diamonds Fund."

Since 1977, THON has raised more than $114 million for the Four Diamonds Fund in the fight to conquer pediatric cancer. More information about THON is available at http://thon.org online.

THON was first organized in 1973 by a group of students looking to add excitement to a dreary February in central Pennsylvania, and for a way to give back to the community. Today, Penn State's THON continues to be the longest dance marathon in the country lasting 46 hours.

THON has grown to engage more than 15,000 students each year and has inspired other university, high school, middle school, and elementary school students across the nation to start dance marathons of their own all in the hopes of conquering pediatric cancer!

As part of Sexual Violence Awareness Month, Student Affairs will launch a poster campaign addressing the role alcohol can play in sexual assaults. The campaign will run the full month of April. Posters will be on display in residence halls and University buildings.

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